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LETTER TO ROBERT BOND JR. (1819- 1894) AND
WIFE SARAH ANN FISK (1823-1909) FROM THEIR NIECE ELIZA J LINCOLN (MARRIED NAME
“ANDREWS” 1842-1917) AND ROBERT’S SISTER MARY ANN BOND (MARRIED NAME “LINCOLN”
1817-1895)
From the Mary/Sue Collection
Transcribed
by William B. Bond—November, 2013
PAGE 1
Windham, Aug
7th 1865
Dear UncleA
and AuntB.
It is with plasher1
that I cit2 down to
ancer3
your kined4 and
welcom5
letter.
FartherC
has been sick for a weake6
past he is
better know7 he has got
the Dropsy8
he has had it for
the ten
years past.
MotherD
is as well as common her health
is very poor
all the time
Grand FartherE
& Grand MothrF is dead
Grand FarthrE
died a bought9 five years
PAGE
2:
a go Grand
MothrF died a bought9 a year
a go10.
CalvinG
is Married and keeping home
he is
Married to his seckent10 WifeH
he lost his
fust12 wifeI and one ChildJ
he has got
one little GrileK
HarrietL
is Married she Married Martin
FlintM
Old Sam FlintN sun14 she lives
on the old
home steed15 she has
got 2
ChreldenO & 16.
BetsyP
is Married she married Clarck
FlintQ
sunR & 14.
I lost my
HusbandS in the armey17
he was the
onley18 one that went
to war in
our famley19.
the outher20
4 boys is to home with
us there is
GorgeT & LeviU & DavidV
&
CharleyW we are living just ware21
we did when you was hear22
we did when you was hear22
PAGE
3:
Grand Mother
BondX and the boyes23
live in
Bristol they are all well
Grand MotherX
lives with Uncle JohnY
CharleyZ
lives the nex24 hose25 to them
BillyAA
the went to war he got home
last fall he
bords26 to JohnY
Uncle HenryBB
is dead his
famley19
is living a bought9 one half
of a mild27
from JohnZ Cosen28 JenneCC
has been
hear22 a weak6 past she
send her
love to you and all
the rest.
Pleas29
ancer3 this letter and write
all the nues30.
FarthrC
& MothrD and all the rest
send thare31
love to you all
hoping to
hear from you soon
good by this
is from
Eliza J
AndrewsDD
From your
sister Mary A LincolnD
NOTES:
1. pleasure
2. sit
3. answer
4. kind
5. welcome
6. week
7. now
8.
“Dropsy” is the accumulation of fluid under the skin which causes swelling.
9. about
10. ago
11. second
12. first
13. girl
14. son
15. homestead
16. children
17. Army
18. only
19. family
20. other
21. where
22. here
23. boys
24. next
25. house
26. boards
27. mile
28. cousin
29. please
30. news
31. their
LIST OF FAMILY MEMBERS MENTIONED:
A. Robert Bond Jr. (1819-1894) Second child of
Robert Bond Sr.
(About
1789-1850) and Mary Wellan? Weller? Wright? (About
1794-1872)
(maiden name not known with certainty.) Uncle to
author
of this letter, Eliza Jane Lincoln.
B. Sarah Ann Fiske (1823-1909) Daughter of Peleg
Fisk (About 1794-
1847) and Elizabeth (1799-1864) ) (maiden
name not known
with
certainty.) Aunt by marriage to author of this letter, Eliza
Jane Lincoln.
C.
Charles Lincoln (1815-1889)
Brother-in-law to Robert and Sarah
and
husband of Robert Bond Jr.’s sister, Mary
Ann Bond.
D. Mary Ann Bond (1817-1895) Sister of Robert
Bond Jr. and oldest
child
of Robert Bond Sr. (About 1789-1850) and Mary Wellan?
Weller?
Wright? (About 1794-1872) (maiden name not known
with
certainty.) Wife of Charles Lincoln and mother of the author
of
this letter, Eliza Jane Lincoln.
E. David Lincoln (1774-1860) Father of Charles
Lincoln.
F. Clarissa (maiden name not known) (1777-1864)
Mother of Charles
Lincoln.
G. Calvin Lincoln (1837-1912) Oldest child of
Charles Lincoln and wife
Mary
Ann Bond.
H. Katherine (or Catherine) Parkerson (about
1840-1917) Second wife
of
Calvin Lincoln.
I. Lucy M Cross (1836-1860) First wife of Calvin
Lincoln.
J. Child of Lucy M Cross and Calvin Lincoln. Child’s
name and gender
not
known.
K. Eleanor “Nellie” Lincoln (1864-1903) Child of
Katherine (or
Catherine) Parkerson and Calvin
Lincoln.
L. Harriet Lincoln (1843-1918). Child of Charles
Lincoln and wife Mary
Ann
Bond.
M. Martin Flint (1831-1887) Son of Samuel “Sam”
Flint and husband
of
Harriet Lincoln.
N. Samuel “Sam” Flint (1789-1853) Father of
Martin Flint and father-
in-law of Harriet Lincoln.
O.
Mary Eunice Flint (1859-?) and Harriet Ella “Hattie” Flint (1863-
1953) Daughters of Martin Flint and
wife Harriet Lincoln.
P. Betsy (or Betsey) B Lincoln (1845-1939).
Daughter of Charles
Lincoln
and wife Mary Ann Bond.
Q. Clark Flint. Father of Samuel Clark Flint Sr.
and father-in-law to
Betsy
B Lincoln.
R. Samuel Clark Flint Sr. (1842-1896) Son of
Clark Flint and husband of
Betsy
B Lincoln.
S. Last name presumably “Andrews” or “Andrew”.
Husband of Eliza
Jane
Lincoln, the author of this letter. Died while in service during
the
Civil War.
T. George H Lincoln (1848-1920). Son of Charles
Lincoln and wife
Mary
Ann Bond.
U. Levi E Lincoln (1850-1922) Son of Charles
Lincoln and wife Mary
Ann
Bond.
V. David E Lincoln (1853-1942) Son of Charles
Lincoln and wife Mary
Ann
Bond.
W. Charles Edward Lincoln (1856-1935) Son of
Charles Lincoln and
wife
Mary Ann Bond.
X. Mary Wellan? Weller? Wright? (About
1794-1872) (maiden name
not
known with certainty.) Wife of Robert Bond Sr. (About 1789-1850) and mother of Mary Ann Bond, Robert
Bond Jr., Henry Bond,
Eliza Bond (1827-1847), Benjamin Bond (1829-?), Harriet Bond
(1831-1840), John F. Bond, Charles F Bond, William Bond.
Y. John F Bond (1833-1884) Seventh child of
Robert Bond Sr. (About
1789-1850)
and Mary Wellan? Weller? Wright? (About 1794-
1872) (maiden name not known with
certainty.)
Z. Charles F Bond (1837-1899) Eighth child of
Robert Bond Sr. (About
1789-1850)
and Mary Wellan? Weller? Wright? (About 1794-
1872) (maiden name not known with
certainty.)
AA. William Bond (1839-1893) Ninth child of
Robert Bond Sr. (About
1789-1850)
and Mary Wellan? Weller? Wright? (About 1794-
1872) (maiden name not known with
certainty.)
BB. Henry Bond (1823-1861) Third child of Robert
Bond Sr. (About
1789-1850)
and Mary Wellan? Weller? Wright? (About 1794-
1872) (maiden name not known with
certainty.)
CC. “Cosen (cousin) Jenne” Relation to the family
is not known. More
research
is needed.
DD. Eliza Jane (or just “Jane”) Lincoln (About
1842-1917). Author of
this
letter and daughter of Charles Lincoln and Mary Ann Bond.
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
NOTE 1:
This letter was written August 7th, 1865 by Eliza J Andrews (or
Andrew) in Windham, Connecticut to her aunt and uncle--Robert Bond Jr. and wife
Sarah Ann Fiske (married name “Bond”)--in Wisconsin. The closing of the letter
also says “From your sister Mary A Lincoln”.
The spelling and handwriting
make this letter difficult to read. If anyone who examines a scan of the
original letter can better make out what the words are or can see anywhere that
there is an error in the transcription, I would welcome their input.
The
following is my attempt at a transcription of the letter with spelling and
grammar corrected:
PAGE 1
Windham, Aug 7th 1865
Dear Uncle and Aunt.
It is with pleasure
that I sit down to
answer your kind and
welcome letter.
Father has been sick for a week
Past. He is better now. He has got
the dropsy. He has had it for
ten years past.
Mother is as well as common. Her
health
is very poor all the time.
Grandfather & grandmother (are)
dead.
Grandfather died about five years
PAGE 2:
ago. Grandmother died about a year
ago.
Calvin is married and keeping home.
He is married to his second wife.
He lost his first wife and
one child.
He has got one little girl.
Harriet is married. She married
Martin
Flint, old Sam Flint’s son. She
lives
on the old homestead. She has
got 2 children.
Betsy is married. She married Clark
Flint’s son.
I lost my husband in the Army.
He was the only one that went
to war in our family.
The other 4 boys are (at) home with
us. There is George, Levi, David
& Charley. We are living just
where
we did when you were here.
we did when you were here.
PAGE 3:
Grandmother Bond and the boys
live in Bristol. They are all well.
Grandmother lives with Uncle John.
Charley lives (in) the next house to
them.
Billy, (he) went to war. He got home
last fall. He boards (with) John.
Uncle Henry is dead. His
family is living about one half
of a mile from John. Cousin Jennie
has been here a week past. She
send(s) her love to you and all
the rest.
Please answer this letter and write
all the news.
Father & mother and all the rest
send their love to you all.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Goodbye. This is from
Eliza J. Andrews
From your sister Mary A Lincoln
NOTE 2: This letter was written on a
single sheet of paper which was folded in half to make “4 pages”—but the
writing by Eliza J Andrews (or “Andrew”)
is on the first three pages only. The letter was found loose and not in an
envelope.
NOTE 3: In the upper left corner of
page 1 there is an embossed seal in the shape of a decorated oval with the
words “Magnolia Mills” in the center of the oval. Magnolia Mills was a paper
manufacturing company.
NOTE 4: At the top of page 1--upside
down to what is written below--is some very faint writing. This writing (which
is in ink) does not appear to be part of the letter written by Eliza J Andrews
(or “Andrew”), but rather writing which was added later. The transcription
below is a guess, but with the help of black (ultraviolet) light the words and
letters appear to be:
Sarah Boughton
Rec??? Lou ? Bond Bond
W M ??d
????????
Bond M M
It is possible that the writing
was intentionally erased rather than faded with age. Based on the written name
“Sarah Boughton, this inverted writing on page 1 is probably that of Sarah
Elizabeth Bond (married name “Boughton”), daughter of Robert Bond Jr. and his
wife Sarah Ann Fiske. Sarah Elizabeth Bond was 18 at the time this letter was
written and on 25 December 1867, Sarah married Augustus Stephen Boughton. So
perhaps the writing was of Sarah musing about her life with her future husband?
NOTE 5:
Regarding Page 4:
a.
The writing on page 4 does not appear to be part of the letter written by Eliza
J Andrews (or “Andrew”), but rather writing which was added later. The writing
is very faint and it is possible that the writing was intentionally erased
rather than faded with age. The transcription below is a guess, but appears to
be:
Sarah
Andrew
Sarah
Love Sauk Wis
Love Bar
Sylvia Ann Stevens
S S
S
Love me not
S
Station W
Sarah Bough
Sayation
The
parts in brown above appear to have been written in ink, and the parts in green
above appear to have been written in pencil. The ink and pencil may have been
written at two different times by two different people.
b.
This page contains three sketches or “doodles” (in pencil): one of what appears
to be an angry man at the middle right of the page and two of women from the
bust up at the bottom of the page.
c.
There are numerous very obvious fingerprints on this page. There appears to
have been something “sticky” that got on this page which left fingerprints when
handled.
d.
Based on the written phrase “Sarah Bough”, the writing on page 4 is probably that
of Sarah Elizabeth Bond (married name “Boughton”), daughter of Robert Bond Jr.
and his wife Sarah Ann Fiske. Sarah Elizabeth Bond was 18 at the time this
letter was written and on 25 December 1867, Sarah married Augustus Stephen
Boughton. So perhaps the writing and “doodling” were of Sarah musing about her
life with her future husband? It is not known who “Andrew” (in very faint
writing) refers to—possibly the “Andrews” or “Andrew” in the last name of
author Eliza Jane? It is not known who “Sylvia Ann Stevens” (in very faint
writing) refers to—perhaps a friend? It is not known what “Love me not” or any
of the other writing means.
NOTE 6: So who are “Eliza J Andrews” (or
“Andrew”) and “Mary A Lincoln”? Clearly Mary A Lincoln is Mary Ann Bond
(married name “Lincoln”) the sister of Robert Bond Jr. And the evidence is
quite strong that “Eliza J Andrews” (or “Andrew”) is Eliza Jane (or just
“Jane”) Lincoln daughter of Mary Ann Bond and Charles Lincoln.
On
page 2 of the letter, the author mentions “Calvin”, “Harriet”, “Betsy”,
“Gorge”, “Levi”, “David”, and “Charley”. These names are the names of the
children—in order of birth--of Mary Ann Bond and her husband Charles Lincoln. However their daughter “Eliza Jane” or just “Jane”
is missing from the list—which gives credence to the fact that the missing
child from the list is the author of the letter. The author does mention herself in the letter
after “Betsy” and before “the outher 4 boys”.
What
little evidence there is for Eliza Jane or just “Jane” is from the 1850 and
1860 U.S. Federal Census which indicates she was born about 1844 after
“Harriet” and before “Betsy”. There is a record for the death of a “Jane Lincoln”
on September 12th 1861 in Connecticut at the age of 19--which indicates a birth
date of about 1842. However, his death record is probably not correct for Eliza
J (or just “Jane”) Lincoln—daughter of Charles Lincoln and Mary Ann Bond.
On
page 3 of the letter, the author mentions “Grand Mother Bond” and “Uncle John”,
“Charley”, “Billy” and Henry”. These of are the children of Robert Bond Sr. and
wife Mary (i.e. “Grand mother Bond”). So taking into account the names of the
children of Charles Lincoln and Mary Ann Bond and the names of the children of
Robert Bond Sr. and wife Mary and the fact that the author was the niece of
Robert Bond Jr., the author can only be Eliza Jane (or just “Jane”) Lincoln.
The
1860 U.S. Federal Census indicates there was a man by the name of George
Stimpson (age 20 years) living as a “Farm Laborer” with Charles and Mary Ann
Lincoln and children—including 16 year old Jane Lincoln. Other family trees on
Ancestry.com indicate that Jane Lincoln married a man by the name of “William
Smith” and that they had two children: Charles E Smith (born about 1867) and
Mary A Smith (born about 1869). The 1870 U.S. Federal Census shows “Eliza Jane
Smith” living with the Stimpson family with her two children Charles E (age 3)
and Mary A (age 1). There is no mention of husband William Smith. Although this
is not irrefutable evidence for identity, the following is my best guess:
Eliza
Jane (or just “Jane”) Lincoln was born about 1844 as the third child, second
daughter of Mary Ann Bond and Charles Lincoln. Sometime before 1865, she
married a man with the last name “Andrews” (or “Andrew”) and he died while in service
during the Civil War. They had no children. Sometime after 1865 and before 1870
she married William Smith and they had two children; Charles E and Mary A. But
husband William died or had left the family before the 1870 U.S. Federal census
was taken and Eliza Jane went to live with the Stimpson family—the same family
as that of George Stimpson the 1860 farm laborer. And this person is Eliza J
Andrews (or “Andrew”)-- author of the letter.
NOTE 7: The closing of the letter
curious. It states: “good by this from Eliza J Andrews” (or “Andrew”) followed
by “From your sister Mary A Lincoln”. It could be that Eliza wrote the letter
and then gave it to her mother Mary to be mailed and Mary added the last line
as a greeting. But the handwriting “From your sister Mary A Lincoln”, seems to
match that found in the rest of the letter--compare the upper case “M”, “A”,
and “L” in the closing with the same letters elsewhere. So perhaps Eliza
dictated the letter and her mother Mary actually wrote it—for whatever reason.
But regardless, the words are those of Eliza, and who actually wrote them down is probably unimportant.
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